Calculations and Design
procedures of Basic Fire
INTRODUCTION
The primary purpose of this design manual is to
present a recommended calculation procedure
to determine basic fire protection requirements
for hydrocarbon hazards encountered in today's
"typical" offshore platforms.
Today's offshore platform operator must be
safety and fire conscious, and concerned about
minimizing fire losses and operational down
time. The requirements, type of equipment and
quantity of extinguishing agent for fire control on
off-shore drilling platforms are dictated by
location.
Due to the different kinds of hazards
encountered on off-shore platforms, it is
recommended that two kinds of extinguishing
agents be provided.
Dry Chemical protection should be provided to
extinguish three dimensional fires, pressure fed
fires (both gaseous and liquid) and electrical
fires. Aqueous Film Forming Foam should be
provided to extinguish spill and pool fires and to
secure and cool liquid hydrocarbon spills.
Systems of this type, combining the rapid fire
extinguishing capabilities of dry chemical as well
as their ability to extinguish three dimensional
fires with the sealing and securing capabilities of
an aqueous film forming foam, are of particular
importance for protection of flammable liquid
hydro-carbon hazards.
DESIGN PARAMETERS
The parameters of sizing fire extinguishing
equipment for any platform should include the
following points:
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CHEMGUARD INC. 204 S. 6 Avenue • Mansfield, Texas, USA 76063 • (817) 473-9964 • FAX (817) 473-0606
Rev: 04012001
Protection Requirements for
Hydro-carbon Hazards of
Offshore platforms
• Accessibility of equipment by platform .
personnel
• Flow rate of extinguishing agent.
• Minimum flow time of extinguishing agent.
These factors dictate:
• Taking into consideration that offshore plat-
forms normally are designed with two levels.
The decks are normally connected by two
stairways on opposite sides of the platforms. If a
fire breaks out on a level where there are no
operating personnel, the fire fighting personnel
will have access to the deck from only the two
stairways. This dictates the positioning of major
fire fighting equipment at the point where the
stairways connect to each deck. If operating
personnel are on the level where the fire occurs,
the first reaction is to run to the stairway.
Therefore, the most accessible points for the
location of the major fire fighting equipment is
the stairway area of each deck.
• The flow rate of extinguishing agent from a
handline is effectively limited by the amount of
reaction force one man can withstand and still
maintain accurate control of the discharge
nozzle. The maximum flow rate of Dry Chemical
a man can accurately control is 8 to 10 lbs./sec.
The maximum flow rate of AFFF is
approximately 60 G.P.M. per handline using 1"
hose.
The maximum flow rate required from a given
piece of equipment is the flow rate per handline
times the maximum number of handlines which
could be used to combat any single fire.
This maximum flow rate should be reviewed as
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 to the maximum flow rate available vs. the
potential hazards on that particular deck. (Drip
pan size etc.) In review, the following standards
should be used:
D.C.:
(Max area size in sq. ft.) (.04 lbs./sec./sq. ft.)
(60 sec. flow) = Unit size
Example:
(100 sq. ft.) (.04 lbs./sec./sq. ft.)
(60 sec. flow) = 240 lbs. Unit Capacity
Taking into consideration that based on a hori-
zontal impinging natural gas pressure fire each
8lbs./sec. handline can extinguish a fire fed at
the rate of 8 mm s.c.f.d. This is based on date
covering a gas pressure range up to 750 psig.
The information is applicable for higher
pressures since the primary effect of pressure in
this case is an extension in detachment of the
flame zone from the gas source.
• Due to the complexity of equipment, possible
wind conditions, presence of rapidly heated
material (stainless steel tubing etc.), it is
recommended that the unit capacity size be
calculated by taking the maximum flow rate from
the unit times a minimum flow time of one
minute.
CALCULATIONS: FOUR PILE PLATFORM
Fig. 1 is a layout of a "typical" four pile platform.
Note there are two stairways on opposite sides
of the platform connecting the two decks. At
these two locations, position both an AFFF and
a Dry Chemical hose reel. The Dry Chemical
unit, which contains two hose reels, should be
mounted on the sub-deck (where it will be least
susceptible to damage). If the unit is placed
adjacent to a stairway connection it will be
necessary to furnish only one remote reel (via
the other stairway) on the sub-deck.
Position two remote reels by each stairway
location on the upper deck. There should be a
total of 5 Dry Chemical hose reels on the
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CHEMGUARD INC. 204 S. 6 Avenue • Mansfield, Texas, USA 76063 • (817) 473-9964 • FAX (817) 473-0606
Rev: 04012001
platform. (2 on the Dry Chemical unit and 3
remotes.) The maximum number, which would
normally be used at one time, would be three on
the lower deck. With a maximum of three 8
lbs./sec. reels being used at once would require
a total flow rate from the unit of 24 lbs./second
would be required.
Taking a minimum flow time of 1 minute., we
calculate the size of the unit to be:
(24 lbs./sec.) (60 sec.) = 1,440 lbs. of D.C.
The closest size available dry chemical unit
would be a 1,500 lb. capacity which will supply
up to 50/70 lbs./sec. flow if required.
A review of the systems fire extinguishing ability
vs. the platform hazards the extinguishing
capabilities are as follows:
Max. Hazard Area
(24 lb./sec.) (.04 lb./sec./ft.2) = 600 ft.2
Max. Pressure Fire
(24 lb./sec.) (8 mm scfd.) = 24 mm scfd.
(8 lb./sec.)
Unless a four pilons platform has unusually large
hazards, the above system should handle all the
pressure and (3) three dimensional fires that
could be expected.
The calculations determine that the system
required on four pile platform consists of the
following equipment:
1 - CDC1500 Lb. Capacity Dry Chemical Unit
3 - Remote Reels with 100' x 1" Hose & Nozzle
3 - Remote Actuators Stations
1 - CAF150 AFFF Unit
4 - Remote Reels with 100' x 1" Hose & Nozzle
3 - Remote Actuators Stations
CALCULATIONS: EIGHT PILE PLATFORM
Fig. 2 is a layout of a "typical" eight pile platform.
Note there are two stairways on opposite sides
of the platform. There is a multiple well head
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 area separated from the production area by a
fire wall.
Position both a AFFF and a Dry Chemical hose
reel at the stairway connection points on both
decks. In addition, due to the extremely large
well head hazard area, position an AFFF and a
Dry Chemical reel on the production side of the
fire wall adjacent to both doors. The Dry
Chemical unit contains two hose reels and
should be mounted on the sub-deck if possible.
With the unit placed adjacent to a stairway
connection it will be necessary to provide only
three remote reels on the sub-deck. Position two
remote reels on the top deck. The total number
of hose reels on the platform will be seven. (2 on
the D.C. unit and 5 remote reels).
With a maximum of 5 reels being used on the
lower deck for one fire and allowing a maximum
flow rate of 8 lb./sec. for each handline, the
maximum flow rate from the unit would be 40
lb./sec.
With a minimum flow time of one min. the size of
the required unit is calculated at:
(40 lb./sec.) (60 sec.) = 2,400 lbs. of D.C.
The closest available Dry Chemical unit would
be 2,500 lb. and have a maximum flow rate
capacity of 100/125 lbs./sec.
Reviewing the systems fire extinguishing cap-
ability vs. the platform hazards we find the fol-
lowing:
Max. Hazard Area
(40 lbs./sec. - (.04 lb./sec./ft.2) = 1,000 ft.
(40 lbs./sec.) (8 mm scfd.) = 40 mm scfd.
(8 lbs./sec.)
This system should be adequate for hydro-
carbon hazards founded on most eight pile
platforms.
To calculate the AFFF unit size, six hose reels
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CHEMGUARD INC. 204 S. 6 Avenue • Mansfield, Texas, USA 76063 • (817) 473-9964 • FAX (817) 473-0606
Rev: 04012001
will be required, one by each stairway
connection on both decks and one by each fire
wall door. With each reel having a flow rate of 60
gpm, the maximum number to be used on any
single fire would be the four on the sub-deck.
The maximum flow rate required from the AFFF
unit would be (60 gpm) (4) = 240 gpm. The
calculations dictate a unit size of not less that
240 gal. capacity. A 300 gal. capacity unit is to
be supplied. The unit will provide a maximum
flow rate of 300 gpm.
A review of the fire extinguishing capabilities of
the system v.s. the platform hazards indicates:
Max. Area:
( 240 gpm. ) (2.5 min.) = 600 sq.ft.
(.16 gpm. sq. ft.)
Under normal conditions a eight pile platform will
not have potential spill areas (drip pans etc.) in
excess of 600 ft.2.
By consolidating the calculations, the system
required on a eight pile consists of the following
equipment:
1 - CDC2500 Lb. Capacity Dry Chemical Unit
5 - Remote Reels with 150' x 1" Hose & Nozzle
5 - Remote Actuation Stations
1 - CAF300 AFFF Unit
6 - Remote Reels with 150' x1" Hose & Nozzle
5 - Remote Actuation Stations
SPECIAL HAZARDS
Individual platforms could have hazards which
the basic fire protection system should not be
required to handle. These hazards should be
analyzed for system application completely
separate from the rest of the platform. Examples
of these hazards are: storage tanks, compres-
sors, and electrical generating rooms. In many
cases the system application on these hazards
should involve automatically actuated systems.
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CHEMGUARD INC. 204 S. 6 Avenue • Mansfield, Texas, USA 76063 • (817) 473-9964 • FAX (817) 473-0606

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CHEMGUARD INC. 204 S. 6 Avenue • Mansfield, Texas, USA 76063 • (817) 473-9964 • FAX (817) 473-0606

Rev: 04012001 Page XVII - 10

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CHEMGUARD INC. 204 S. 6 Avenue • Mansfield, Texas, USA 76063 • (817) 473-9964 • FAX (817) 473-0606

Rev: 04012001 Page XVII - 11